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Godless CraniumCanada

Bio: Gamer who can't get enough of reading, science and learning. Father of two (not including my adorable dog, Dexter) and lover of the opinionated.
A few other things I enjoy are role playing games, Game of Thrones, Cosmos, rollerblading, hiking, golf (even if I suck), reading religious, 'spiritual', secular material, playing with my dog, hanging with my wife, Clash of freaking Clans...and so much more. If you'd like to learn a little bit more about me and my thoughts, you'll have to read my blogs.
You can also check out my YouTube channel by following the link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCewUkuIHNuwuMNWMa96q9ZQ
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82 Comments

I don’t care if this doesn’t get published, I just wanted to answer one of your questions (because I detest ignorance)

The OT is replaced by the NT, they are theologically legal contracts with the newer replacing the older. My sources: eight Catholic school teachers, one Catholic pastor, one Congregationalist pastor, two Religious Studies professors, and half a dozen Episcopalian and Presbyterian ministers I chat with regularly.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. Matthew 5:17

Jesus is also supposedly God, which I pointed out in your blog. That means he would ultimately be responsible for everything that occurred in the OT.

“My sources: eight Catholic school teachers, one Catholic pastor, one Congregationalist pastor, two Religious Studies professors, and half a dozen Episcopalian and Presbyterian ministers I chat with regularly.”

Oh, well on your say-so then.

Actually, there are over 30,000 Christian sects, all of them believing differently. Do you really think some Christians try to put the Ten Commandments on courthouse lawns because they think the OT doesn’t count?

That’s absurd, even if you ignore what Jesus himself said in the magic book.

“I don’t care if this doesn’t get published, I just wanted to answer one of your questions (because I detest ignorance)”

Then you should stop being ignorant of the bible and read it.

The idea that the OT doesn’t count because the NT exists is a stupid idea and one that people use to apologize for the atrocities in the OT.

You don’t get a do-over. Millions of people take the OT seriously, including many Christians. Pastors (including Catholic ones) preach from the OT and the NT.

Even the NT is full of bad advice, such as Jesus telling people to love him over their own flesh and blood.

Spent more time reading the Bible (both required and otherwise), I’m sure than yourself, that combination of Catholic school, Scouting, and Presby college. And, I’ll take several sects of pasters/ministers and theological scholars over a random individual any day. (Side Note: Fulfilling the covenant, e.g. testament, completes it, therefore rendering it over and replaced.)

But, whatever. I learned long ago to avoid arguing with hysterical folks on the internet (sadly, I forget sometimes).

I agree with you. In all my upbringing in the Church of England, confirmation classes included, I have NEVER heard that the NT replaced the OT. Or that the either form any kind of ‘contract’. The bible always includes both. Anyway, these works were written by humans. They are stories, metaphors, derivatives of much earlier pre-Christian stories. They are part hearsay, part mythology. They have some interesting poetry, and some hair-raising plots. Frankly, these days one would wish that people should follow their conscience and live by their own good moral judgment. Feeding the dogma machine only gets us more of what we already have – too much toxic behaviour, and not enough humanity, or respect for the planet.

Actually, I have heard it this, but I don’t BELIEVE it. From a Jewish perspective, I don’t believe the Torah in any literal sense, nor does any Jew I’ve ever met. It’s just not the way Jews deal with their religion. For the time and stage in human development in which the books of the Toral were written — we are talking a long, long, time ago — it was an advanced, forward-thinking document. But. That WAS a long, long time ago. Fundamentalism is not a big influence in Judaism. Finally, the Torah is a part of a much larger set of writings, most of which were lost during the destruction of the first and second Temples. As I understand it, there were over 250 books … five of which remain.

I believe there’s some historical information to be found in both new and old testaments . Plus a lot of mythology, some philosophy, some law. I’m not sure which part of it I am supposed to believe.

“But, whatever. I learned long ago to avoid arguing with hysterical folks on the internet (sadly, I forget sometimes).”

Now you’re just embarrassing yourself with multiple fallacies and a personal attack.

I’m anything but ‘hysterical’.

“Spent more time reading the Bible (both required and otherwise), I’m sure than yourself, that combination of Catholic school, Scouting, and Presby college.”

And how do you know that? Have we met? Do you know anything about me?

Thought not.

“And, I’ll take several sects of pasters/ministers and theological scholars over a random individual any day.”

So you’re going with the ‘Appeal to authority’ fallacy?

You couldn’t even address any of the points I made. Even the simple logic of Jesus being God, therefore he would be responsible for everything in the OT.

“Fulfilling the covenant, e.g. testament, completes it, therefore rendering it over and replaced.)”

Completing something does not replace it. Jesus (God) made rules. An all-powerful, all-knowing being does not change his mind and get a do-over.

Again, Christians don’t try to erect the Ten Commandments on court house lawns because the OT is irrelevant.

Your entire original point was that the bible wasn’t violent. I easily showed you it was. Then you said only the OT and 13 books in the NT. I pointed out that’s about a third of the bible and the bible doesn’t just contain the flowery Jesus bits, no matter how much you want to ignore the other bits. Then you say the OT doesn’t count, so I show you Jesus said it counts. Then you call me hysterical because you have no way of rebutting what I actually said.

Actually, appeal to authority isn’t a fallacy. It’s called ethos and is a classic element of argumentation (see Aristotle).

This was over before it really began, for three reasons:

1) You’re constructing an entire argument based on the exact wording of a translation that is inherently flawed (since it is a translation). Conversely, at least two of my sources are fluent in ancient Greek and Hebrew, thus no translation (not even counting their 20+ years of professional study of the subject matter).

2) You’ve presented specious arguments (“not everyone agrees!”–never going to happen, especially when anyone can be ordained; heck, I have an atheist friend who’s an ordained minister, which he did so he could officiate the wedding of some mutual friends).

3) You’ve lost all credibility for two reasons: a) you constructed an entire argument based on not really reading my post that you replied to (I can point to the exact spots where you skimmed and missed key words) and b) you asked why a deity would be concerned about history or war (I can name a dozen war deities off the top of my head without leaving Europe and even a basic study of comparative religion concludes that one of the primary purposes of early religion is to preserve the history of a people/culture).

I called you hysterical because your writing has become progressively more emotionally charged as this “discussion” has continued. On the other hand, I’ve remained rational and unemotionally involved. My commentary regarding biblical reading is based on the understanding you’ve demonstrated (btw, trying to call me out on lack of info about you on that point is a pot-kettle situation).

Indeed, because the bible is violent and you have no defense against that fact.

“You’re constructing an entire argument based on the exact wording of a translation that is inherently flawed (since it is a translation)”

So basing it on what the majority of religious people believe and follow?

“Conversely, at least two of my sources are fluent in ancient Greek and Hebrew”

That’s nice. Do they speak for Christianity then? Should all criticism and questions be forwarded to your experts?

“You’ve presented specious arguments”

No. I’ve shown you where your arguments fail. You can continue to assert they’ve failed, but you’ve yet to address any of the real points. You’ve merely continued on arrogantly believing you know me, what I’ve studied, what I’ve read and what I’ve been exposed too throughout my life.

Why not address the arguments rather than tell me how great you and your experts are?

“) you constructed an entire argument based on not really reading my post that you replied to (I can point to the exact spots where you skimmed and missed key words) and”

So now you have magic powers yourself and can see where I skimmed your piece.

I read it in its entirety. I merely don’t agree with all of it. Some of it I agree with. Some of it I don’t.

“you asked why a deity would be concerned about history or war”

A real deity? I was pointing out how a deity of peace is at the same time war-like.

Do you treat everyone who visits your blog and disagrees with you in this manner? Do you invade their ‘About’ page and rant and rave about your superior knowledge instead of just addressing it on your own blog?

I’d appreciate it if you’d take this off my ‘About’ page and take it back to your blog, where the article I originally commented on is.

Now I see why you’ve invaded my About Page, Lordtaltos. You were dishonest enough to erase my original comment – not because it was rude but because it disagreed with your point of view.

You charge me with being hysterical and emotional, but you erase dissenting comments from your blog (which included direct quotes from your blog) and then chase me to my about page to continue commenting on your article.

Nope. Nothing hysterical or emotional about doing that.

Please stay off my about page. I won’t even comment on your blog any more. I really don’t enjoy talking to people who aren’t interested in a discussion and will censor opinions that disagree with their own.

I can’t decide if the above confrontation is as funny as it is frustrating. I laughed the hardest at, “Actually, appeal to authority isn’t a fallacy. It’s called ethos and is a classic element of argumentation (see Aristotle).” The fact that it’s on your About Page pretty much takes the cake though.

The biggest fan, my kids and I have all 3 season’s that have came out, and we dress up and have zombie parties. Actually there is a post on my blog with pictures and everything. By the way thanks for the follow, I am following you now to.

That sounds like so much fun. I’ll look for that blog post. I’m also a big fan. When it first came out, I couldn’t get into it much. I’m not a big zombie fan. I prefer werewolves and vampires etc. But my wife convinced me to try it again and I got hooked. I like how it’s less about zombies and more about the characters and story. It’s an excellent show.

Yeah, you can really make a connection with the charicters. You said you like werewolves have you ever seen silver bullet. It is my favorite werewolf movie, and dont laugh at me but I just saw twilight for the first time about a month ago, now I have them all, and I love them. Lol

I thought the sparkly stuff was a little stupid myself, and I didnt like that there was no blood in it. Did you know for a brief period, Stephen king published books under a different name to see if his books were really good, or if it was just the name Stephen king that kept people coming back. The other name he used was Richard Bachman. I have a couple of those books as well as some of his famous stuff

Thanks for the like. I noticed you are an atheist. I have to admire the fact that you are willing to post that on a public site. Religious debates tend to bring the worst out in people because people get so passionate about it, so you must have your fair share of arguments. I personally wouldn’t consider myself as an atheist, i’d say more of an agnostic. I’m not knowledgeable about religion by any means and never claim to be, However I do feel that we can’t possibly know whether a God exists or not, so we can’t really pick sides. Anyway i’m babbling, Thanks again

I think the very reason you think it’s brave shows why sites like this are needed.

I’m also an agnostic. I’m an atheists agnostic. I’m an agnostic about god in the same way as I’m an agnostic about dragons and invisible gnomes, both of which could exist, but both of which I don’t actively believe in until there is evidence for their existence.

While you’re right about a deistic god, the bible and other holy books give us a way to test the veracity of its claims.

Thank you very much for your comment and for stopping by. I hope you drop by again in the future. 🙂

That’s a fair point. With Gods the stories have obviously come from somewhere. Whether they are actually true or they are just that – ancient stories. I am very open to the concept of religion but at the same time i’m also not going to blindly follow a religion unless i have solid proof/evidence in front of me.

Thanks for the reply, you do bring up some very interesting points so i’ll be sure to check in how you are getting on. Take it easy

I came to your blog accidentally because I was checking on the links leading to my website – http://do-animals-have-souls.info – and I found that you had cited my page about organised religions as a reference for your article here (https://godlesscranium.com/2013/07/27/50-reasons-why-religion-is-not-the-source-of-all-morality-part-2/)
I certainly spent a lot of time researching the topic, as it is important, even though I personally have no need of an organised religion. It is an honour that you have chosen it a resource.
I had a brief look at what you have written on your blog (not just that article) and agree with much of it. I have just one observation to make: you do not have to be religious, or to believe in God, in order to accept that our lives (and I don’t mean just humans!) continue on afterwards, in a different dimension. I’m not sure what your position is on that one.
Love your photos of Dexter! BTW, are you still sitting on the fence about giving up meat? Just asking….
Keep up the interesting blog! Every best wish to you!

“you do not have to be religious, or to believe in God, in order to accept that our lives (and I don’t mean just humans!) continue on afterwards, in a different dimension. I’m not sure what your position is on that one.”

I agree. To be an atheist, you just need to lack belief in God(s). That doesn’t mean you can’t believe in other things, such as souls and an afterlife.

“Love your photos of Dexter! BTW, are you still sitting on the fence about giving up meat? Just asking….”

I love my baby, Dexter. 🙂

I am technically still on the fence. I’m not mostly a vegetarian. I eat meat rarely. Usually one night a week I’ll have some sort of meat. The rest of the time I eat veggies.

Thanks for taking an interest in my blog. It’s not nearly as sophisticated as yours. I mostly have it to provide some encouragement to those I know who are afraid of being ‘out’ as an atheist. I do hope it encourages me to push myself to learn more about religion as well.

So I was reading that argument way way back – right at the beginning – and I was just sat there, with no idea of WHAT was happening because I’m a teenager who is basically uneducated in the whole complex Bible arguing shenanigans. Anyway – I haven’t actually read any of your posts yet; I’ve just read your about page. But I am VERY happy to find a fellow RPer – what kind of RPGs do you play, out of interest?

Mr. Cranium, I have some questions for you for a new post I am doing on my blog. It is a multi-religious Q/A. Strictly objective with no opinion involved to get a glimpse at the similarities and differences. You would be representing the response for an atheist to my three questions. I would’ve sent this via email but you do not have a contact menu. Please give me answers to these three questions in no more than 3 sentences.

What is the meaning of life?
Is there an afterlife?
If so, how do you get there?